When I somehow inexplicably find myself in a political conversation, I always figure out a way to work the phrase "policy wonk" into my sentences. Even though I haven't the foggiest idea what that means.

The Red Tornado wrote:A friend of mine cant stand having the light switches not match up. (all up or all down on the same panel)

Same here (I'm the one that has to match the light switches).

MrsVox wrote:

The Red Tornado wrote:A friend of mine cant stand having the light switches not match up. (all up or all down on the same panel)

Same here (I'm the one that has to match the light switches).

Once I patent my method to make three-way switches always 'up' when the light is on, and 'down' when the light if off, I'm going to be a millionaire.

I play air guitar way too much

I'm one of about 6 on here who has the same exact horrible sense of humor, and looks like an AIMbot .

Disco Stu wrote:

Bakestar wrote:When I set the volume on my TV or car stereo, I always like to set it to a "round" number. Top preference goes to numbers divisible by 5, and then to even numbers with the most factors (i.e., 24 > 22). Odd numbers are never good except for "5" numbers.

I will often find myself setting it to a less optimal auditory listening level so that the setting will comport with my number setting system.

Mild, functional OCD is cute.

I do that too. I find that a lot of these OCD things that used to control my life have waned a great deal when I had kids. When you have vomit on you and somebody else's doodie under your nails, everything else seems to matter less.

Point taken, and while my number fetishes don't and never did "control" my life, I can definitely say they are very strong preferences.

Numbers divisible by 25 are the best, followed by 5, and then even numbers with the most factors. But there's something very beautiful about the number 360, despite the not-25 thing. Divisible by so many other numbers, whomever set that as the degrees in a circle is my neurotic hero.

This mild OCD doesn't carry over to any other part of my life: not a handwasher, door lock checker, etc. I kind of see it as a functional way to occupy my brain during otherwise boring times.

I have used the same blanket since I was like 4 years old.

In regards to OCD and numbers, I'm pretty much obsessed with the number 12. I also love 3 and 4 because 12 is divisible by both. Interestingly, I couldn't care less about 2 or 6. Sometimes when I walk, I'll count my steps up to 12 and start back over again (my left foot must be the odd numbers, right foot the even ones). If I pass by certain walls or objects, I'll tap them 3 times with 4 fingers to make 12, or 4 times with 3 fingers. I do lots of things in terms of 12. Weird.

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant

Kind of a $#@! name for memoir

It does my bin in that I can't remember the faces of many authors who attend the Book Festival. For instance, it's only when I saw this title that I realised this guy was at the festival 2 years ago.

My poxy memory. pah.

MrsVox wrote:

1 wrote:

Disco Stu wrote:

1 wrote:i always imagine slaloming between traffic cones when i see them

Always?

when i see them, yes

I used to do this. Now I when I drive over a bridge, I wonder if the railing would keep the car from going over if I crashed into. But I'm not thinking about trying to crash into it.

Two things scare me when cycling. When I suddenly realise I've temporarily zoned out, and within that time I could have had a crash because I didn't respond quick enough to someone else.

Also every now and then I think about what would happen if a vehicle hit me full force from behind and I had no chance to react. Sends a shiver down my spine every time.

VoxOrion wrote:As a grown-up, I often imagine being smashed in the head by something heavy whenver I turn a blind corner outdoors.

When I was a kid, I turned a corner and a bird flew right out of a bush and into my face. Even before that incident I was always a little uncomfortable around birds for some reason, but since then I've been even more uncomfortable being near them. I'm also a little freaked out by dragonflies and butterflies and anything that flies around pretty crazily like they do.

Also when I was a kid I was riding my bike, turned a corner and ran head into another guy riding his bike. Knocked me right into a busy road, and narrowly missed getting hit by a car. Not afraid of turning corners though.

OMG it is so good to see I'm not the only one with a weird numbers thing.

I prefer multiples of 6 or 8, generally. I also do the car stereo thing...I usually try to keep it on level 36 or on another multiple of 6 or 8.

I'm basically always counting. Little things like turning flipping a light switch twice, consciously counting my steps when I walk, etc. I'd say my numbers thing does infringe more on my life than is needed. I won't get into it here.

Oh, and Vox, I totally understand what you're talking about with the "just the right time" stuff. I do that sometimes when turning out lights or locking doors, or simply getting out of a chair.

It's interesting to see being a little crazy is so normal.

You know this will be the most linked thread on the internets to prove that stat heads are a bunch of sick mentally deficient nancy boys that never held a baseball or a glove and wouldn't know what they were watching if they saw it.

VoxOrion wrote:You know this will be the most linked thread on the internets to prove that stat heads are a bunch of sick mentally deficient nancy boys that never held a baseball or a glove and wouldn't know what they were watching if they saw it.

seriously, we're all a bunch of ocd agoraphobic nerds, no wonder we all post on a message board

VoxOrion wrote:You know this will be the most linked thread on the internets to prove that stat heads are a bunch of sick mentally deficient nancy boys that never held a baseball or a glove and wouldn't know what they were watching if they saw it.

We've held a baseball, we're just too busy counting the stitches to throw it. By the way, 108 stitches on a baseball, which is divisible evenly by my favorite number 12 to give you 9...as in 9 innings of a game

I used to be pretty badly obsessive compulsive but I am pretty much over it in a lot of the areas that I was the worst.

When I was little and out in the open I used to always think there were monsters behind me and I'd just start running back to the house or wherever.

The numbers thing, I still have some quirks and I have some alarm clock issues, but I am over the whole light switch flicking and things like that. I still have to have things lined up in neat order, and I am probably a little extreme about cleanliness and washing my hands too much.

I used to have even worse OCD when I was a kid. If one ear brushed up against something, I had to do the same with the other ear til it felt even. We are all effin insane in our own way.

When I was younger, If I touched something with one hand, I had to touch the same thing with my other.

LongDrive wrote:When I was younger, If I touched something with one hand, I had to touch the same thing with my other.

That sounds kind of unsanitary.

swishnicholson wrote:

LongDrive wrote:When I was younger, If I touched something with one hand, I had to touch the same thing with my other.

That sounds kind of unsanitary.

Depends on whom he was dating.